With a name like Cyber Cycles, the strong retro theme is a little surprising from this new made-in-Germany component maker. But while Cyber Cranks and Cross Blade forks undeniably harken back to the early days of mountain bikes, both combine modern modular tech and performance in that good old retro styling. Build up a rigid dropbar mountain bike (or a gravel bike as we tend to call them these days) and Cyber will have your cranks, forks, and even stems covered…
Cyber Cranks modern modular tubular steel bicycle cranksets
It’s been a while since I rode a mountain bike with tubular steel cranks – maybe 20 years or so? But we got a sneak peek last summer that Cyber was bringing sexy back. On a steel Sour Bad Granny belt-drive MTB singlespeed.
Now this year, Cyber Cycles has since rolled out 4 versions of their tubular steel Cyber Cranks. Each is welded in Germany from tubular steel. A classic no-nonsense crankset to finish off you custom commuter, gravel, trail, all-mountain, or enduro mountain bike.
Tech details
The Cyber Cranks are designed and fabricated in the middle of Germany, welded by life-long Italian framebuilder Stefano Agresti. Made of custom cold-drawn US-made air-hardened steel, Cyber cranks feature a standard SRAM 3-bolt direct mount interface for 1x chainrings. Or there’s optional machined alloy 110BCD spiders for 1x or 2x setups. The standard cranks use an integrated 24mm (Shimano Hollowtech 2 BB compatible) spindle. But this summer, Cyber also added a ST square taper version that you can use with old style bottom brackets.
Cyber Cranks are independently lab tested for strength and durability. But the cranks are NOT rated for DH or BMX, and have a rider weight limit of 110kg for their specific discipline.
Cyber Cranks – Pricing, Options & Availability
Cyber Cranks retain for 469€, without a chainring or bottom bracket. Lengths are available in 5mm steps from 160-180mm (and maybe outside of that range if you ask nicely.) Cyber also offers them in several standard finishes. Raw to see the underlying steel as it changes color when welded, but will continue to oxidize with time. Extra Raw which is more like a matte gun metal black look stat still reveals a bit of warm steel hues below. Matte nickel plated for a warm durable almost titanium-like look. Matte chrome-plated for a bit more shiny silver style. And gloss white or gloss black for 90s MTB bling.
Then, you can from 4 options depending on your bike and how you ride:
The Cyber Cranks GR are the lightest and narrowest for gravel (or road) with 156mm Q-factor, 46-52mm chainline, and a claimed weight of 475g. Cyber Cranks OR are the same weight and chainline, but wider at 173mm Q for off-road use. If you go big, pick the Cyber Cranks EN which use thicker, stronger arms with a 174mm Q-factor and 52-58mm chainline and a 520g claimed weight. Lastly are Cyber Cranks ST a good ‘ol square taper crankset that you can use with a conventional bottom bracket on or off road – claimed 460g and 145mm Q & 38-44mm chainline with a 108mm BB.
Cyber Cross Blade forks
Besides, those tubular steel cranks, Cyber Cycles also has a new Cross Blade fork, too. Developed as a modern interpretation of 90s rigid MTB forks, the Cross Blade features a burly CNC-machined alloy crown that clamps either replaceable chromoly steel or titanium legs.
Meant to be a modern alternative to carbon forks for gravel of rigid XC mountain biking, the forks can be built with up to 430mm axle-to-crown lengths depending on what you need. Up top, the machined 7075-T6 aluminum crown clamps to a straight 1 1/8″ Columbus Lite steerer, with replaceable stainless hardware.
Then, you can pick from lighter and more forgiving 1.2mm thick 3/2.5 titanium or heavy-duty 0.9mm thick Columbus CrMo legs. Down below, Cyber bonds machined 7075 dropouts onto each leg and connect with a 12or 15mm x100mm DT Swiss thru-axle and flat mount 160mm disc brake tabs.
Internal able routing is possible through the fork leg with 3D-printed guides. And there’s even the possibility to store a mini-pump inside the right fork leg. Officially the new Cyber Cross Blade forks are not yet for sale – still in a development and testing phase. But we saw an early supporter head away from the Bespoked show last week with a duplicate Agresti bike to this one below, ready to ride. Official availability is slated for next month.
MTB & Gravel Bike Stems, too
Finishing out the modern retro kit, Cyber also has a few custom steel stems, too. A series of 190€ Roller Stems for either threadless or quill steerers feature an integrated cable stop and roller under the stem for canti brake routing.
Or the 199€ Crypto stem, like on this bike, offers sleek old school MTB quill stem looks with the stealthy convenient clamping of a modern threadless stem
Remember how we all keep talking about how modern gravel bikes are just rigid dropbar mountain bikes from the 1990s? Yeah, Cyber Cycles gets it! And make it by hand in Germany.
